Developing apparatus



Jan. 19, 1932. A LANGSNER 1,841,483

DEVELOPING APPARATUS n Filed Jan. 2s, 1928 'ranged and preferably super-impose Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES ADOLPE OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO EUGENE DIETZGEN COI- PAN'Y, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE nnvELorINs arrana'rus Application led January 23, 19M.A Serial No. 248,745.

My invention relates to a developing apparatus for developing light sensitive material, such as light sensitive paper, by the action of an alkaline developing medium such as ammonia. f

One of the objects of my invention resides in providing a compactly constructed de veloping device wherein the developing chamber and the other chambers through which the light Ysensitive material is continuously fed; are compactly and conveniently arranged for the purpose of providing the maximum travel of material in the smallest available space while at the same time preventing the escape of developing gas to points outside of the cabinet. l k.77.; L

A further object ofYA my present invention resides in the tanks containing a develo ing medium, such as ammonia, such tanks ing arr y, in series. and provided with sequentia arstationary reactive feeding surfaces over which a cord conveyer is adapted to drag whereby to feed along light sensitive manuerial introduced between the cords and the upper walls of the tank and `which walls are perforated permit the ammonia gas arisin from the liquid to have access to the sensitive side of the light sensitive material to develop the same.

Still another obj ect of my invention resides in providing an arrangement of super-imposed tanks 1n spaced apart relation and cooperating with guide rolls anda cord conveyer and with deflecting means arranged between the tanks whereby the cord conveyer is adapted'to carry the light sensitive material from one tank to the next' and is assisted ranged witn respect to the developing chamchamber and to convey it between utilization of a plurality of.

` tilating chambers. A further oh3ect of this the delecting means vin deecting the j ber and are provided with conveying means therein for passing the light sensitive material in a continuous manner from the developing chamber through the other chambers .and for finallX-udischarging the paper from the cabinet. ancillary object of this feature of my invention resides in the manner in which the cord conveyers are adapted to cooperate one with the other and one with the tanks whereby the conveyer which co-operates with the surfaces of the tank is adapted to drag feed the light sensitive paper across -the tank to b e developed and whereby the -cord conveyers which co-operate with Veach other are adapted to receive the light sensitive paper as it passes'out of the develo em through thesubsequent degassing and venfeature of m invention resides in the construction an arrangement of the cord conveyers with respect to each other and withl respect to the tanks and particularl the super-'imposed tanks containing the `quid developin medium whereby a continuous feeding o the light sensitive paper through the a paratus is assured. A El rther feature of my invention resides in the utilization of a vapor and preferably a heated l.va r for removing the occluded gases from t e light sensitive material as it passes through the cabinet.

Still a further object of my invention resides in the utilization of ammonia vapor and particularly heatedammonia va r for eX- pediting the development of the ilight sensitive material. l

Yet another object of my invention resides in the processes herein disclosed for irst developingl light sensitive material by means of heated ammonia vapor and secondly, in the process of removing occluded gases by the Y utilization of a vapor and particularly a heated vapor.

Yet another object of my invention resides in the construction and arran ent of the guideway at the entrance to t evpaper feed for inwardly guiding the sheet or continuous .strip of light sensitive material whereby to keep the marginal edge of the sheet in direct lalignment and registration with the bight between the opposed feeding surfaces.

Yet another object of my invention resides in the arrangement of cord conveyers with respect to the super-imposed and sequentially arranged series of tanks and the arrangement of the cord belts with respect to a sequentially arran ed and preferably super-imposed series o? tanks whereby light sensitive material is fed, in the first instance, between the stationary perforated surfaces of the tanks and a cord conveyer, and in the second instance between two opposed cordiconveyers moving over and across the tanks.

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein- Fig. l represents a vertical View taken sectionally through the preferred arrangement of my preferred machine;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and

F ig. 3 is a detailed sectional view of a modification of the means for heating the liquid in the tank at the entrance to the feeding means.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my present invention comprises a basal Support or standard 2 oii which is mounted a preferably vertically disposed cabinet 4 of substantially gas tight construction and being provided with a plurality of internal partitions 6 and 8 and 10 providing a main de veloping chamber 12, a degassing chamber 14 and a Ventilating chamber 16. In addition, the rear upper portion of the frame is provided with a compartment 18 in which is mounted the power-driven drive shaft 20 having a worm 22 thereon meshing with a wormgear 24 on a shaft 26 carrying a sprocket 28 which drives a sprocket chain 30 in turn driving another sprocket 32 on a shaft 34 having its bearings within the cabinet, the sprocket 30 passing through the opening in the wall of the cabinet. The front ofthe cabinet is provided with a shelf 36 extending preferably the width thereof and disposed opposite an inlet 4feeding orifice 38 infthe front wall 40 of the cabinet. v This shelf 36 is hinged, as at 42, and is provided with a support 44 for holding the shelf in outward position. This shelf, likewise, extends the width of the machine and is provided with an overlying guide board 46 which has a dove-tailed cutout 48 extending preferably its width, and this cutout receives a flanged guiding strip 50 fastened'to the underside of a shiftably mounted guide 52 which is constructed and arranged to be moved, at will, transversely across the shelf and guide strip 46 to provide'a right angled guide surface against which the edge of the light sensitive material, such as paper, may be placed so as to assure the strip or sheet being fed into a spring pressed plunger 56 arranged frictionally to snap linto the notches 54 on the guide strip 52 to hold the same in desired position of adjustment.

The upper chamber 12 within the cabinet 4 forms a developing chamber and the intermediate smaller partitioned portion forms a chamber 14 containing a liquid adapted to be heated whereby to give off vapors for the purpose of removing occluded gases which have a very strong affinity for vapor particularly water vapor, and finally, the lowermost portion of the cabinet 4 provides a chamber 16 which forms a Ventilating chamber and which is preferably provided with an opening 58 to the atmosphere and another opening connecting to a suction fan 60 for moving Ia column of air through the Ventilating chamber whereby finally to remove all traces of occluded gases and ammonia. In addition, the bottom-most chamber is provided with a bottom discharge outlet 62' which has located opposite it a deflector trough 64 of sheet metal terminating in a curl 66 at the front of the machine for receiving the developed sheets of paper or the continuous strip of paper as it is fed from the machine.

As a source of developing medium, I provide the developing chamber 12 with a series of tanks or pans 68, 7() and 72, which are preferably arranged in vertically superimposed spaced apart relation. These tanks have tops that are closed and are provided with suitable perforations 74 whereby the ammonia gas arising from the liquid ammonia 76 in the tank may pass through these perforations and contactwith the light sensitive underside of the light sensitive material. I also provided the developing chamber with a traveling conveyer adapted to co-operate with the perforated surfaces of the tanks and which perforated surfaces comprise and form substantially rigid and stationary reactive feeding surfaces over which the light sensitive material is adapted to be dragged by the feed of the traveling carrier thereacross. In the present instance the travelinglcarrier 78 comprises a plurality of spaced apart cords or relatively small belts adapted to run about guide rolls. The guide rolls are arranged within the cabinet 12 in desired position so as to accomplish this feed. In the present' instance two guide rolls 80 and are arranged in substantially spaced apart relation with respect to each other and to the front edge of the uppermost surface of the first tank and immediately opposite the inlet feeding opening 38. At this opening there is provided a defleeting lip 84 so as to compel the paper fed inwardly through the opening 38, to pass between the lower roll 82 and the .cords 78 'passing around then per roll. In v water to the 1i ht sensitive un erside surface pass.

. they of the strip o paper as it'passes in through the said inlet 38. The outer surface of t e. roll 82 is composed o f rubber-so Aas to apply the water in a thin film. In addition, thedeveloping chamber 12 is provided with a plu-v rality of ide rolls 90, 92, 94, 96, 98, 100 and102 or feeding the cord conveyer 78 therethrough. This cord conveyer is preferabl driven by the guide roll 32 from the sproc et wheel on the shaft thereof. The guide rolls are provided with a series of spaced apart grooves in which the cords of t e belt conveyer travel for the purpose of keeping them in correct spaced ment. The cords 78, after passing over the perforated wall of the iirst tank 68, thence pass around the guide roll to a intbeneath the tank -and in contact` with e under wall thereof, thence around the guide roll 92 and thence over the surface of the tank 70 from which point the cords continue'over and under the remaining tank walls until they reach the guide roll around which4 they pass and from thence through'to opening 104 in the partition 8 into the 'first deing chamber. l I preferably arrange the cords78 so that pass in a continuous manner througxlil; not only the developing chamber 12 but a through the degalng chamber 14v and the ventilating chamber 16, and I preferably arranged this first 'cord conveyer 78 so that in addition toV co-operating with the stationary reactive surfaces of the ammonia tanks, 1t

also co-operates with another and independent cord conveyer and in such a manner that the light sensitive material is conveyed between the two cord conveyers through the other two chambers and is thence discharged from the main' cabinet 4into the receivmg trough 66. T o this end I provide the following construction: In the degassing chamber,

14 I provide a series of water contaimng pans or tanks 106, 108 and 110 which are preferably arranged in spaced apart super-imi posed position within the chamber 14 and each contains a quantity of water. VAdj acent the endsof each of these tanks I arrange feed rolls 112, 116, 118, and 122 around which the guide conveyers, hereinafter described.,

are provided with' electric heating devices 124, 126 and 128 for heating water therein to provide water vapor or steam.

apart align- Y addition, the tanks 106, 108 and 1104 The lowermost chamber 16 is provided with a plurality of additional guide rolls 130, 132,l

134, 136,138, 140, 142,144, 146,148 and 150' about which pass the cord conveyers about to be described. In the de assing chamber 14 and the ventilating'cham er 16 'I arrange an additional cord conveyer 152 which, at its uppermost portion, passes over the roll 102 in the Ventilating chamber, thence' passes through the opening 104 together with the first cord conveyer 78. These two conveyers.

passing together over the top of the open top pan 106 and thence around the roll 112, thence to the pan 106 and around roll 116 and thence in sequence around the two remaining pans 108 and 110, finally pass out through the opening 130 in the lower partition 10. From this int the two cord conveyers continue to pass 1n circuitous and tortuous paths aboutthefeed rolls 132 to 146 at which pointthey pass togcther through the latter 146 and 148 oppo site the discharge deilectors 154 where the light sensitive material .is discharged from points between the belts through the outlet opening- 62. At this point the belt 152- passes around the roller 146 thence toward the front of the machine and around the roll and thence upwardly through an opening 156 in the partition and thence around the roll 102 ina continuous path. In a like manner the conveyer 78, after passing from the developing chamber, passes with cords 152 through the first chamber in which the water pans are mounted and thence aroundl the rolls 132 to 148 inclusive, at which point these cords 78 pass upwardly at the rear of the machine vthrough an opening 158 in the partition. 10

chamber and 'opposite the inlet, thus in a conv tinuous cycle. It will be appreciated that all of the openings in the partition through whichthe cords pass are provided with packing strips of felt or'rubber 162 for preventing the escape of gas .through said openings` while at the same time permitting the passage of cords therethrough and it will be further appreciated that the various guiderolls are provided with spaced apart grooves for one or more cord conveyers, maintaining them in spaced apart relation. In addition, the upper tanks are provided with sheet metal guides or deflectors 164 for passing the light sensitive material around the ends of the various tanks 68 to 72 inclusive.

It is within the contemplationof my invention to substitutel for the tank 88 another tank 166 containing water adapted to be heated by an electric or other type of heater 168 for the purpose of creating water vapor such lila' as steam 170 adapted to contact with and moisten the underside of the light sentitive paper to expedite thedeveloping action. My

invention also contemplates the utilization of liquid ammonia Within the tank 106 and to heat the same so as to give oil not only the ammonia gas but also to give off therewith a percentage of water vapor which greatly assists in the speed with which the developing action takes place.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that in order to develop either sheets or continuous strips of light sensitive paper or other material, it is fed through the opening 38 into position between the traveling cords 78 and the stationary upper surface of the tank 68 from which point it is dragged along by the action of the cords dragging over the relatively smooth top and bottom surfaces of these tanks. The light sensitive material is thus developed during its passage across the tops of these tanks by the action of the gases,.ammonia gas in particular, passing through the apertures of these tank tops. After passing through the developing chamber the sheet is then passed, by means of the final guide 170, into position between the cords 78 and the co-operative cords 152 which pass through the opening 104 and thence carry the light sensitive material between them across the open tops of tanks 106, 108

and 110. In this chamber 14 the occluded` ammonia gas in the light sensitive material such as paper, has a great affinity for the water vapor therein caused by heating the water in the pans so that the ammonia will be drawn out of the surfaces of the paper land thereby I provide a very improved and quick and expeditious method and meansl for removing Occluded gases from the light sensitive material. After passing from this chamber 14, the light sensitive material is thence carried by the traveling pairs of cords onto conveyers through the developing chamber wherein the material is subjected to a flow of fresh air which removes all traces of the gas from the paper before it is ultimately discharged from the cabinet opening discharge 62 into the sheet metal trough 66. It will also be appreciated that as an ancillary feature of my invention I propose to preliminarily meisten the light sensitive side of the paper or material by means of the moisture arising from the heated water in the pan 166 disposed immediately at the inlet entranceof the cabinet. This is particularly efficacious and advantageous in developing since ammonia, having a great aiiinity for water vapor and moisture, will produce the developing action much more quickly.

My invention also contemplates the disclosed process and apparatus for utilizing liquid ammonia as a source of developing .medium instead of the gas arising from the ,pans 68 to 7 -l and in this feature of my inaddition thereto a good percentage of water vapor steam or moisture which comes into contact with the developing ammonia gas, will cause the quick developing action herein described. This may be carried out by either substituting liquid ammonia in the pan 166 or by providing heating means in the pans 68, and 72.

It will thus be seen that by reason of my improved apparatus I am enabled quickly and effectively to develop light sensitive material and particularly light sensitive paper by the action of ammonia developing gas and ammonia liquid in a very short time and in a compact space and without the escape of gases to the atmosphere. Finally, it will be seen that my improved machine is enabled to continuously pass either sheets or continuous strips of light sensitive material in a continuous manner through the machine and while traveling develop the same and remove the occluded gases and discharge the sheets or continuous strips in inished condition in the receiver.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure b v Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cabinet forming an enclosing' chamber and provided with partitions forming a developing chamber, a degassing chamber and a Ventilating chamber, a. tank in said developing chamber containing liquid ammonia, said tank forming reactive feeding surfaces, a portion of which are perforated I the tank. means for introducing light sensil tive material between the tank and said cords, water pans in said degassing chamber, means for heating the water therein for creating water vapor or steam, means therein for passing light sensitive material from the developing chamber throughfthe degassing chamber so as to remove the occluded gases from the light sensitive material conveyed therethrough and means in the Ventilating chamber for passing saidy light sensitive material therethrough and discharging it from the cabinet and means connected with said ventilating chamber for removing traces of developing gases.

2. In a developing cabinet, the combination of means forming a developing chamber and a chamber for removing occluded gases from the light sensitive materia-l, a tank forming a reactive feeding surface and disposed in the developing chamber and containing a quansaid tank, said cords passing also around guide rolls in the secondmentioned chamberl a second cord conveyer in the second mentioned conveyer and adapted to travel with and in contact with the first mentioned cord conveyer during its passage through said second mentioned chamber and means for feeding the light sensitive material from between the first mentioned conveyer and the tank in said rst chamber into and between the two cords as the pass through the second mentioned cham er.

3. In a developing apparatus, the combination of a cabinet providing a developing chamber, a plurality of tanks mounted in vertically super-imposed and spaced apart'relation, aplurali? of guide rolls in said chamber'mounted a jacent said tanks, a cord conveyer passing around said guide rolls and across the surfaces of said tanks in series, those surfaces of said tanks across which the cords pass being located above the liquid level in said tanks and being provided with perforations, means for'feeding light sensitive material into position between the cords and the surface of one of the tanks and means for deilecting the light sensitive aterial from the said surface of one tank to the feeding 1 surface of the next tank.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cabinet providing an enclosing chamber, a plurality of tanks disposed in said chamber each containing a quantity of liquid ammonia, said tanks having upper and lower surfaces, a plurality of guide rolls mounted in said chamber and located adjacent the various tanks and between ,thel same, a`

cord conveyer passing around said rolls and ada ted to drag across the up r and lower sur aces of said tanks and de ecting means disposed at the ends of certain of said tanks providing curved reactive feeding surfaces cooperating with the cords for passing the light sensitive material from one tank to the next. 5. In a device of thelclass described, the combination of an enclosing cabinet, a pluralit of tanks horizontally mounted therein and isposed in spaced apart vertically superimposed relation, guide rolls in said cabinet, certain of said the ends of sai tanks and series, said tanks containing a` liquid developing lmedium adapted to evolve a developing gas.

6. In a deviceI of the class described, the

1de rolls being located atI n tanksand certain of said-A... guide rolls being located'at the opposite ends a cord conveyer for passing I rolls and draggingly feedin across the tops of said tanks and around t e guide rolls at the ends thereof and thence feeding across the under surfaces of said tanks and around the guide rollers between the opposite endS. of said tanks and thus around the remaining tanks and series, said tanks containing `a liquid developing vmedium adapted to evolve a developing gas and means for introducing light sensitive material between the cords and the top surface of the uppermost pan and means for moistening the light sensitive material before feeding between the cords andV such tank surface.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of aI cabinet providing yan enclosing chamber, an inlet opening to said vcabinet,'two rolls mounted in spaced'relation immediately at the opening within the cabinet, a lurality of tanks located in said cabinet an arranged horizontally and in vertically spaced apart -super-imposed relation, guide rolls mounted in said cabinet, certain of said guide rolls being located at the ends of the tanks and certain of said ide rolls being located at the opposite en s of said tanks and between said tanks, said ide rolls having grooves, a plurality of cor s passing around said guide rolls and 'around the wallsl of said tanks and means fondirecting light sensitive material, passing thou h the opening in said cabinet, into and cords passing around-one of the pair of the firstmentioned feed rolls and between the other feed roll and for 'guiding such material from said last mentloned feed roll between the cord and the upper surface of the tank, said tanks containing liquid developing medium and having perforated tops-for the passage of the gas therethrou h.

8. In a developing cabinet or light sensitive material, the combination of means forming a developing chamber, means including light sensitive material therethrough, deve oping ammonia contained in said cabinet for developing the light sensitive material as it passes through the developing chamber, means forming'a degassing chamber, a pluralit of tanks 1n tween the said degassing chamber horizontally disposed and mounted Vin vertical super-imposed spaced apart relation, a plurality of rolls in said dcgassing chamber, guide rolls mounted in said cabinet, certain of said guide rolls being located at the ends of the tanks and certain of said guide rolls being located at the opposite ends of said tanks and between the tanks, said tanks containing water and means for heating the water in the tanks for creating water vapor, means including a sccond cord conveyer adapted to engage with the first mentioned cord conveyer for carrying light sensitive material developed in said developing chamber across the tops of said tanks and through said second chamber whereby said light sensitive material, with the gases occluded therein, is subjected to the action of the water Vapor to remove all traces of the developing gas.

9. The herein described method for removing occluded ammonia gases from the light sensitive material developed by the action of said gases which consists in subjecting the developed material to the action of moisture in a finely divided state.

10. The herein described method which consists in subjecting light sensitive developing paper, having ammonia gases occluded thereon, to the action of heated water vapor for the purpose of removing the4 occluded gases.

- 11. In a device of the class described, the' combination of a developing chamber and a degassing chamber, a source ofv ammonia gas in the developing chamber and a source of water vapor in the degassing chamber and means for passing light sensitive paper through the developing chamber to develop the same by the action of the ammonia gases and means for thereafter passing the same through the degassing chamber to remove the ammonia gases.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of an enclosing cabinet forming a developing chamber and a separate degassing chamber, there being ammonia gas in the developing chamber, there being steam in the degassing chamber and means for feeding light sensitive material in sequence through the developing chamber and through the degassing chamber.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of an enclosing cabinet provided with a developing chamber, a degassin g chamber and a Ventilating chamber arranged in series and provided with communicating openings, continuous means passing through said chambers in sequence for feeding light sensitive material. through said ,.chambers, there being ammonia gas in the developing chamber, means in said degassing chamber having a great affinity for ammonia gas and means connecting the Ventilating chamber with a suction apparatus.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having an inlet opening and a discharge opening and provided with partitions providing a developing chamber, a degassing chamber and a Ventilating chamber, the latter communicating with the discharge opening and the former communicating with the inlet opening, a plurality of tanks mounted in the developing chamber and containing liquid ammonia, said tanks having perforated tops providing reactive feeding surfaces, a plurality of tanks in the degassing chamber containing water and said tanks also containing heating means for the water, and a plurality of guide rolls in said chambers, a cord conveyer passing about the guide rolls in said developing chamber and around the walls of said tanks and in contact therewith and through an opening in the partition and into the degassing chamber, and a second cord conveyer passing through said degassing chamber and traveling with the rst cord conveyer therethrough and around the tanks therein, said two cord conveyers passing together through an opening in the partition into and around guide rolls in the Ventilating chamber, one of said cord conveyers passing alone through the Ventilating chamber and thence back into the degassing chamber in a continuous path and the other cords of said pair of conveyers passing alone through said Ventilating chamber and thence through said degassing chamber and thence through said ventilatmg chamber, thence 1n return manner across the surface of the tanks and means connecting the Ventilating chamber with a source of suction.

15. In a device of the class described, means for supporting light sensitive material having ammonia gases occluded thereon, means for subjecting said material to the action of heated water vapor for the purpose of removing the occluded gases.

16. An apparatus of the character described comprising two compartments, means inone of said compartments for 'generating developing gas, means for continuously drawing paper to be developed through both said compartments, sealed means through which the paper is introduced into and removed from the developing compartment, and means in the second compartment for removing from the paper any developing gas adhering thereto.

17. An apparatus of the character described, comprising compartments, means in developing gases adhering to the paper.

18. An apparatus of the character described, comprising compartments, means in one of said compartments for generating developing` gas, means for continuously drawing paper to be developed through said compartments,

the developing compartment, and means for creating a` gas absorbtive atmosphere in the other compartment for removing, from the developed ,paper as ittravels along, and developing gas adhering thereto.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

sealing means through which the v paper is introduced into and removed from ADOLPH LANGSNERQ o' 

